Security Council Expansion

A proposal was submitted in late March to reform the United Nations Security Council. Drafted by ambassadors from six member states including Britain and Germany, it seeks to expand the Security Council by seven seats, enlarging its membership from 15 to 22 states.

The proposal is the latest in a long history of negotiations attempting to restructure the Security Council’s makeup, and the first since 2005. Many member states believe that the Security Council—with permanent, veto-wielding members being the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China—reflects a stale post-WWII global power structure. There is strong support for enlargement, yet debate over the appropriate manner to do so has been contentious. Efforts began as early as 1979 to enlarge the Council, but various disagreements between regions and developed and developing countries have seen the current system of five permanent and ten rotating members remain in place.

The current proposal comes from the so-called “Group of Four,” comprised of Germany, Japan, Brazil, and India, who believe they deserve permanent Security Council seats, sans veto. After the group failed to push forward resolutions in 2005 to expand the Council in its favor, it developed the new plan, casting a wider scope of inclusion for member states. It calls for two additional seats for Africa, two for Asia, one for Latin America, one for Western Europe, and one for Eastern Europe. As well, the proposal is far more flexible, allowing the UN members to vote on its specifics. That is, members will vote on whether the new Security Council seats will be permanent or temporary (two- or five-year term limits), as well as whether the new seats will be granted veto power. Many believe this will eliminate much of the deadlock that has taken place over previous efforts to revamp the Security Council.

The proposal is not without self-interest, however: German ambassador to the UN, Thomas Matussek, has said that Germany’s goal is to have a permanent seat in 10-12 years. It is pushing for the proposal because it believes, in all likelihood, that it will obtain the seat reserved for a Western European nation.

The African Union’s 53 members also seek additional representation, arguing that Africa is the sole continent without a permanent seat on the Council. As such, it wants to add 11 new seats, six of them permanent. The AU is also seeking at least two seats for Africa with veto power. While the current proposal does not automatically provide for veto power, it does allocate two seats to African nations. As a result, AU members have been much more involved in current reform attempts than in the past.

Middle-ranking countries, such as Italy and Pakistan, are calling for ten new non-permanent seats. If permanent seats are allotted based on region as under the latest proposal, it would be unlikely that Italy or Pakistan would receive seats over Germany and India. As such, middle-ranking countries are seeking to block any sort of new permanent membership for rival states.

The proposal doesn’t solely focus on membership, seeking to improve other facets of the Council as well. It outlines new working methods for the Council, aimed at promoting better communications and transparency for its operations and debates. As well, the proposal would ensure that vetoes could not be used to continue the commission of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. This additional clause appeals to the current Security Council members, who fear that a new permanent member might use its veto to protect allies’ human rights abuses.

The proposal was submitted to the General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim on Thursday, March 20. Those involved in the negotiations hope to have a final text and vote before the current General Assembly’s session ends in September.

UN Role in Afghanistan

The Security Council unanimously extended the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan by one year. Additionally, the Council empowered Kai Eide, the new Special Representative of the Secretary General, as the head of all international civilian assistance and civilian-military coordination in Afghanistan. However, the Mission’s mandate has been redrafted to address concerns of the Afghan government that the UN Envoy could become a parallel power center in Kabul. As a result, the UNAMA will be required to work in close coordination with the Afghan government. Efforts in the next twelve months will be aimed toward enhanced coordination and leadership of international efforts, strengthened cooperation with the Afghan government, political outreach, national reconciliation, human rights promotion, electoral support and regional cooperation.

UN Mission in Chad Signs Status Agreement

The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) has signed a status of mission agreement with the Chadian government, establishing legal principles under which MINURCAT will operate in the conflict-ridden African country. The mission, organized last year by the Security Council to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid, will now be granted privileges, immunities, and safety assurances by the Chadian government.